Dani 2 - 1 Japan (393505457)

The 1658 fans in attendance at Coliseum Zinedine Zidane were roasting in the hot sun. Gerold van Bergen was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Alexander Bertilsson and Pelle Piispa. Dani had chosen a strategic 3-4-3 formation. Starters: Goulart - Maufroy, Bauça, Bello Figueroa - Ginoves, Vayreda, Parma, Capellà - Matons, Gardosa, Butinyac.

Japan started off with a 5-2-3 lineup. The following players took the field: Espínola - Stavilă, Rengel, Maraviglia, Robles, D'Alessandro - Gary, Mărcan - Gullby, Pena, Erba.

Japan clearly had decided to counter-attack when they could. After 6 minutes, there was a bit of a mixup on the field as Japan found themselves out of position and their organisation level dropped to solid. Dani were very close to putting themselves one up after 13 minutes as N. Matons got through on the left, but failing in concentration, he shot the ball wide. A quick counter attack by Japan forced the opponent's defender to give away a freekick. B. Gullby was allowed to take it quickly by the referee, much to the dismay of the goalkeeper who wasn't prepared. 0 - 1! 30 minutes into the game, Japan had difficulty finding their positions and their organisation dropped to weak. No matter how hard he tried, N. Matons just couldn't get his shot past the visitors' right side defence after 31 minutes. With 32 minutes gone, a long pass from the defence of Japan resulted in a counterattack that set L. D'Alessandro free through the middle, but the keeper made a spectacular diving save. Dani had to make a substitution after 33 minutes. M. Butinyac limped off the field and was replaced by F. Area. Some things can only be learned through experience, and J. Vayreda should take his lesson to heart after nearly gifting Japan a goal with 33 minutes of the match played. With 35 minutes played, after a good run down the left, Ó. Ginoves went down looking for a penalty after a challenge from the visitors' right fullback, but the referee waved play on, and later warned him for diving. 38 minutes in, Japan's M. Robles received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first. P. Capellà of Dani received a yellow card after 39 minutes for unsportsmanlike behaviour. The crowd was on its feet 42 minutes into the match, as Dani's J. Bauça found himself unmarked in front of the goal after a dash up the left side. He calmly put away the 1 - 1 equaliser. Halftime score was 1 - 1. Dani claimed to have seen most of the ball, and the statistics agreed with them - possession being 74 percent.

The Japan players spent the break getting a rerun of the team's tactical organisation and regained a passable organisation when the game started again. L. D'Alessandro wasn't much help defensively. His energy-consuming forward runs proved quite costly in the oppressive heat. 71 minutes had elapsed when a great chance for Dani to take the lead after a good cross from the right found M. Parma alone with the keeper, but he chipped it to the wrong side of the post. Dani created a good opportunity to score 73 minutes into the match when A. Maufroy's hooked ball from the left created a scuffle in front of the goal, and the visitors' defenders had a hard time clearing the ball. The celebrations in the stands could only mean one thing - J. Bauça's free kick had found the back of the net and put Dani ahead 2 - 1! The opposing supporters gave the referee an earful when he only gave M. Parma from Dani a yellow card after a mistimed challenge from behind 82 minutes into the game. That was far too lenient! F. Espínola was the unlucky victim and couldn't continue the game, so Japan's A. Sáenz Malo had to come off the bench. 84 minutes into the game, Japan seemed to suffer a certain amount of confusion and they fell to a inadequate level of organisation. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Dani, with 70 percent of the ball.

The most dominating Dani player was without a doubt F. Area. A. Maufroy was a disappointment, however. Most important Japan player was A. Sáenz Malo. O. Pena turned in a dismal performance, however. The match ends 2 - 1.